A blog dedicated to the world of broadcast and public relations

More on the Consolidation of Radio

The struggling economy continues to take its toll on all forms of media outlets, with radio bearing a healthy brunt. Large ownership groups, such as Clear Channel, have laid off thousands of employees and sold off chunks of their holdings. Other groups, such as Metro Networks/Westwood One, one of the nation’s largest radio networks, has been forced to consolidate its operation by shuttering some local news bureaus, in order to focus more on regional news coverage.

Even venerable outlets like Associated Press have been forced to alter the way they conduct interviews and dispense their news. These moves have changed the landscape of radio and therefore, have changed the way that stories must be pitched to these outlets.

Although change is inevitable, there are some events that set about a more rapid evolution. To address these developments, one must be willing to adapt along with them. As large national networks streamline their operations, stories must be crafted to take advantage of this change. For national networks, the best solution is to provide a strong, well-prepared national spokesperson – a person who is versed on local statistics and events, but also has the cache to attract interest on a national level. read more…